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Old April 21, 2014   #8
BigVanVader
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
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Start the squash in peat pots (Jiffy strips), and cover with floating row cover as soon as they are transplanted. The row cover is buried at the edges, with enough slack to allow the squash leaves to push it up as they grow. When the squash either outgrow the cover or start to bloom, the cover is removed. In my area, the SVB egg laying period has ended by then. So, apparently, has most of the first hatch of cucumber beetle & squash bug. The squash are virtually trouble free from that point on.
This is my technique as well, after the squash get good sized I don't have any problems, and as far as building a cage etc I would just use floating row covers. They are cheap and work well for this purpose, especially since squash are so easy to hand pollinate. I have small rows of squash as well so I just use PVC pipes bent over in places and throw the cloth over that then bury one side in soil and use two 2x4s nailed together in an L shape with a hinge in the middle so I can just fold 1 side over and lift the cloth to pollinate then do the other side the same. It works well and is super easy to customize the size/shape of the boards to fit different beds/rows. Good Luck with yer squash ;D
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